Thanks for the nice note. I agree with the mentality of “just doing it,” for sure, there’s no replacement for experience. But…

In terms of how, which is a great question for everyone, I follow my motivation when I have it. Somedays, I’m not interested in doing work—or I just don’t have the energy. Other days, I can’t keep my hands off the keyboard. Here’s a couple of things I’ve noticed about myself when I work.

Work when others aren’t. The early mornings or late nights afford me distraction-free focus time. These are often my best, most productive times. Plus, it helps make me feel less guilty looking at Facebook at 12pm in the afternoon knowing I either did some good work early, or am ready for good work later in the night.

Work in unusual places. I like to work in other people’s offices, different cities, and coffee shops when I’m trying to explore new ideas. When my environment feels routine, I tend to feel stuck myself. One of my favorite aspects of working in a coffee shop is that I get the feeling of having coworkers, yet none of them know who I am, need to tap me on the shoulder to ask if I received that one email, etc.